


let our hearts, like doors, open wide

by annella



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Kissing, M/M, Minor Injuries, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:41:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28085625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annella/pseuds/annella
Summary: Rufus and Tseng manage to get away to the Icicle Inn for a well-deserved break with just each other.
Relationships: Rufus Shinra/Tseng
Comments: 8
Kudos: 48





	let our hearts, like doors, open wide

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve been working on this one for a while! I hope you all enjoy it. :)

It was a rare escape for them. A week, all to themselves, in the Icicle Inn, with nothing planned aside from relaxation, ice skating, mulled wine by the fireplace, and a truly ridiculous amount of sex.

Rufus had been planning the getaway for months, trying desperately to slot in a week in which neither he nor Tseng had commitments, and even as they boarded the helicopter to take them north, Tseng half-expected someone to rush up to him waving a very important piece of paper he would have to deal with urgently.

“After you, Sir,” he said politely, holding the passenger side door open for Rufus. Ostensibly, Rufus was going north to attend a top secret conference of shareholders at the Inn—a conference which Tseng had gone to great pains to fabricate—and of course, wherever Rufus went, his faithful bodyguard had to go as well. They were looking forward to a week of not having to avoid Rufus’ father, of not having to hide the fact that they were sharing the bed in Rufus’ penthouse suite.

A week of being together, themselves, just a normal couple in love. Tseng had some concerns about Rufus’ safety, but he was quite sure he’d be up for the task of protecting him. It had been a part of his life for so long it was second nature.

Tseng let out a sigh of relief once they were airborne. The chances of being called back were becoming smaller with every mile, and once they had been flying for an hour or so, he finally allowed himself to relax.

“This is going to be _fantastic,”_ Rufus drawled. Tseng glanced at him, sprawled in the passenger seat, a delighted smile spread across his face as he gazed out at the horizon. They were over the water now, bright blue far beneath them, dotted with white caps and the occasional vessel on the shipping routes. Rufus slid his oversized designer sunglasses off and turned to smile at Tseng, shifting his weight in his seat and spreading his legs suggestively.

“No,” Tseng said firmly, but a smile of his own quirked up the corner of his mouth. Rufus was insatiable, taking every chance he could to start something with Tseng, and there were several occasions in the past when he’d almost caused an accident due to his mouth being wrapped around Tseng’s cock while Tseng was at the controls of a helicopter.

“Oh, come on,” Rufus wheedled, sliding a hand over Tseng’s thigh and towards the waistband of his pants. Tseng batted him away.

“Not this time.” He pointed ahead of them, towards the dark clouds on the horizon. “There’s weather ahead.”

“That’ll just make it more exciting,” Rufus said in a low voice. Tseng was almost tempted— _almost—_ but he had been looking forward to this for months, and didn’t want their week away being marred by a helicopter crash into the ocean right at the beginning.

“Plenty of time for this later,” Tseng tried, but Rufus’ hand was back on him, moving up his thigh and over his crotch. Despite himself, he felt a thrill rush through him, and Rufus chuckled softly when he noticed Tseng squirm. 

“I’ll be quick,” he murmured, deftly opening Tseng’s pants and leaning over to slide his mouth over the head of his cock.

  
Amazingly, they didn’t crash. Rufus managed to finish Tseng off just before the rain hit, and he was buttoning him up as winds started to batter the chopper. The rest of the journey was not nearly as relaxing, as Tseng battled wind and rain to get to their destination at the top of the mountain. At one point, every light in the cockpit seemed to be flashing, every alarm beeping, and Rufus clung to the railings above him for dear life as Tseng expertly navigated the helicopter through the storm.

He was outwardly calm, inwardly screaming. Assassins, he could take down. Plots, he could infiltrate and shut down. The weather, though—that was a different matter. He couldn’t predict the weather, he couldn’t torture it for information. All he could do was fight his way through it.

By the time they finally landed, the storm having mostly passed and only a few flakes of snow falling on the landing pad, Rufus was white-knuckled and an unhealthy shade of greyish green. He pushed open the door of the cockpit, almost fell out, and tottered to the edge of the landing pad where he was sick behind a bush.

Tseng winced and slowly climbed out, his arms aching from struggling to maintain control of the chopper for the past hour and his head swimming from the stress. He leaned against the cold metal, his eyes closed against the biting wind, and gave himself a moment to regain his equilibrium before signalling a waiting porter to come and help with their luggage. 

Rufus was groaning loudly from the bushes, and Tseng went to check on him, gently patting his shoulder as he lay sprawled on his back, holding onto the ground for dear life. 

“Are you alright?” Tseng inquired, and Rufus shook his head. 

“I’m going to die,” he mumbled.

“Can you stand? They’re already taking our bags to the Inn.” Tseng glanced around; a few people, having seen the helicopter land and then Rufus practically fall out, were pointing in their direction and talking.

Rufus rolled his eyes towards Tseng. “I’m not moving. Unless you want me to be sick again.”

Tseng sighed, slotting a Cure materia into his glove. He didn’t know if it would work on motion sickness, but it was worth a try, and Rufus’ face relaxed as the warm green glow enveloped him. “Better?” Tseng inquired, and Rufus nodded, taking a deep breath before getting to his feet. 

“The ground’s stopped moving,” Rufus noted, his face no longer that ghastly shade of grey. He was still a little wobbly on his feet as they headed towards the nearby Inn, and Tseng kept a hand at the small of his back to steady him. Rufus glanced at him, a quick smile tossed his way. 

The Icicle Inn was known for its discretion, but despite this, Tseng had still booked them in under an assumed name. Rufus was fairly recognisable, even dressed down as he was—if you could call a dark grey bespoke suit with a matching hat and scarf dressed down. It was different enough from his usual white trench coat that Tseng hoped the spectators at the landing pad hadn’t recognised him, but he still instructed Rufus to try to hang unobtrusively in the background while Tseng checked them in. Even so, there were a few too many people in the foyer for his liking—a tired-looking family with two small children, a dark-haired man on the phone in the corner, two young women laughing nearby—and he wanted nothing more than to get Rufus out of the public eye.

“If you require anything else, Sir,” the clerk said quietly, and Tseng turned back to him.

Tseng nodded. “We’ll be having a private dinner in our room tonight. In fact, we are likely to want to dine privately during our stay. Also, when I have a moment, I would like to discuss security with you.”

“Of course, Sir. Please follow me; I will show you to your room.”

It was less a room and more a suite; right on the top level of the Inn, accessible only by private elevator. The clerk left them alone and Tseng set about examining all the windows in the palatial suite, checking for any vantage points from which a sniper could take Rufus out. He firmly closed the curtains in the second bedroom, reasoning that they were unlikely to use the room anyway, but was fairly happy otherwise. Rufus was standing by the window in the lounge, looking out at the pristine snowfields before them. It was an uninterrupted view of the mountains, and Tseng joined him to admire the vista.

“How are you feeling?” Tseng asked quietly. Rufus’ colour had improved significantly; the greenish-grey hue had faded almost completely.

“I may have a lie down,” Rufus replied. “I’m still feeling a little queasy.”

“Sorry about that.”

Rufus glanced at him. “You got us here in one piece. I can hardly complain about a little bit of motion sickness.”

“Still.” Tseng shrugged his jacket off and went into the master bedroom to hang it in the closet, pleased to find that the bellhop had already unpacked their suitcases while they were checking in. He ran a hand down the lines of one of Rufus’ suits; smooth white woollen fabric, so finely woven it felt like silk, but warm enough for the mountain air. It was one of his favourites, and he hoped Rufus might wear this one for dinner.

Tseng always ended up wanting to remove it with his teeth.

A thought occurred to him, and he wandered over to the huge king-sized bed to check the drawer in the bedside table. He hid a smile and closed the drawer again, deciding not to inform Rufus that the bellhop had also thoughtfully unpacked their collection of toys, placing them carefully in their satin bags within easy reach of the bed.

“Joining me?” Rufus asked from the doorway. Tseng turned and smiled at him; Rufus was already undressing, a trail of clothing leading back towards the window he had been standing next to only minutes before. Tseng watched appreciatively as Rufus lost his shirt and then his pants, and by the time he reached the bed, he was completely nude.

“I’ve got a few things I need to do,” Tseng murmured, watching his naked lover pull the heavy bedclothes back and slide in. He was awfully tempted; even if Rufus just wanted to sleep, Tseng never got tired of sharing a bed with him. He was clingy, he snored, and had a tendency to elbow Tseng in the side during the night, but having those long, smooth, pale limbs wrapped around him always made Tseng feel warm inside.

“Suit yourself,” Rufus mumbled around a yawn, already half asleep. “Wake me for dinner.”

Tseng looked at the trail of clothing Rufus had left, and sighed. He could leave it for housekeeping—Rufus would tell him to do that—but Tseng’s sense of order dictated that he tidy up now. Grumbling quietly to himself, he gathered the abandoned clothing and put it all away before getting to work on checking the room was safe.

Thankfully, none of his careful scans picked up any bugs. Tseng breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed that his machinations to get them here anonymously had worked. Satisfied that the room was clean, he settled onto the couch near the window and booted up his laptop.

“ _Please_ tell me you’re not doing work on our holiday,” Rufus drawled, and Tseng glanced up in surprise. It had gotten dark; he had been so intent on what he was doing that he hadn’t noticed how much time was passing.

“Not exactly,” Tseng said, closing his laptop and setting it aside. “I was checking in with Reno. He’s keeping an eye on things for us.”

Rufus snorted, and came to join Tseng on the couch. He’d slid a satin robe over himself, but it didn’t do a very good job of covering him when he sat down. Tseng’s eyes zeroed in on his crotch, the conversation forgotten and Rufus’ next query going unheard.

“I said, what do you mean he’s keeping an eye on things for us?” Rufus repeated, chuckling softly and placing a finger under Tseng’s chin, lifting his head. “My face is up here.”

“If you didn’t want me to be distracted, you’d put some underwear on,” Tseng pointed out. “I mean, he’s keeping an ear out for any rumours placing you here. Listening out for any chatter on the insurgent networks about the Inn.”

“Hmm. And?” Rufus dragged his finger down Tseng’s neck, and he deftly flicked open a few buttons of his shirt. Tseng swallowed.

“Nothing.” Tseng gazed at Rufus, looking into his blue eyes, admiring his lover’s features. Rufus frequently looked tired these days, dark circles under his eyes and his face drawn, and Tseng was pleased to see him already looking more relaxed than he had been in a long time.

“Good,” Rufus breathed, and slung a leg over Tseng’s lap, pulling himself across so he was straddling his thighs. The robe fell open completely, and Tseng glanced down to see that Rufus was already half-hard. “I don’t want to even _think_ about Shinra or insurgents while we’re here, and I’d prefer if you didn’t either.”

“I see you’re feeling better.” Tseng slid his arms around Rufus’ waist underneath the satin robe and down to cup his ass, pulling him close.

“I am. Now shut up, and kiss me.”

  
  
Rufus did wear the white suit for dinner, and Tseng almost regretted their earlier tryst on the couch: his lover looked delectable as he carefully sipped his lobster bisque in the dining room of their suite. It was lit by warm lamplight, the curtains wide open to allow them to admire the view of the night sky over gleaming white mountaintops, and on the far side of the room, a fire crackled gently. Tseng topped up their champagne glasses and passed one to Rufus; their fingers met on the stem of the glass, and Rufus smiled at him. 

“To our holiday,” Rufus murmured, tilting his glass towards Tseng’s. They both took a sip in silence, intent on each other across the small table, and Tseng only just managed to stay in his seat instead of standing and sweeping the table clear so he could lay Rufus out across it.

“Did you have any specific plans?” Tseng asked, putting his glass down and going back to his bisque. It was really very good, the lobster caught fresh that morning and transported live to the Inn, and he licked a stray droplet off his lips. Rufus’ eyes were dark, watching the quick flick of his tongue.

“Hmm.” Rufus slid a finger around the edge of his glass, a light ringing hum filling the room. “I have no plans. Ice skating, perhaps. A walk in the forest, just the two of us. And I noticed that we have a hot tub out on the balcony.”

“I noticed that, too.” Tseng leaned back, toying with the cuff of his suit. He was dressed in black, as usual, but unlike his uniform suits, this one had been made specially for him by Rufus’ favourite tailor. He’d balked at the cost, but Rufus had just waved it away. He had managed not to let it become a bone of contention between them—Rufus enjoyed throwing money at his friends, and seemed to delight in dressing Tseng up—and it was, admittedly, a very nice suit.

Rufus’ gaze bored into Tseng as he finished his soup and put the spoon down. They had opted for a light meal that evening, Rufus saying he still wasn’t feeling quite himself yet, and the delicate bisque had apparently been just what the doctor ordered. 

“Shall we, then?” Tseng asked, pushing his chair back, and Rufus nodded.

Ten minutes later he was submerged up his shoulders in steaming water, the frigid air of the mountaintop making his breath mist, and Rufus snug up against his side. He took a sip of champagne, glad he’d thought to bring the ice bucket outside with them, and nuzzled Rufus’ hair.

“We should have done this a long time ago,” Rufus said softly. It was two years since they’d taken the step from friends to lovers, longer still since they had become friends. He shifted closer to Tseng, his hand tight on Tseng’s thigh under the water as they gazed out at the stars. They’d turned all the lights out in their suite and were sitting in darkness, lit only by the stars and the bright moon hanging fat just above the horizon. Light snow was forecast for tomorrow, but for now, the air was so clear and crisp Tseng could almost taste the ice.

“It feels like there’s no one else in the world,” Tseng said, his voice hushed in the still air. 

“There _is_ no one else in the world,” Rufus replied, and tilted his head to kiss him.

  
  
“Tseng, for the love of Bahamut,” Rufus sighed, sprawled on the couch and staring at the ceiling, “would you, for once in your life, relax?”

Tseng glared at him. “This is for your safety,” he replied, “so no. You don’t get a say in this, sorry.”

“This is taking forever.” Rufus rose to his feet and strode over to the side table to pour himself another cup of coffee. “How many more to go?”

“Only another dozen,” Tseng said, flicking through the pages on his laptop. He’d used Rufus’ clout to get information on the other guests staying at the Inn so he could run background checks, and although he felt a little bit guilty at the invasion of privacy, he needed to ensure there weren’t any suspicious characters here to ruin their stay. So far he hadn’t turned anything up, and Rufus was getting impatient.

“We were supposed to leave all this nonsense behind,” Rufus reminded him. 

“I’m almost done.”

“ _Tseng.”_ Rufus stopped in front of him and gently pushed the laptop closed. “We’re going _ice skating._ I’m going to need you to leave the bodyguard persona behind for just a few hours, can you do that?”

Tseng looked up at him. Rufus looked beautiful today—not that this was any different from normal. His navy blue slacks and thick white sweater made his blue eyes look even brighter than normal, and his hair, normally so carefully styled, was soft and falling across his face. Tseng reached up and brushed it aside, letting his fingers trail down Rufus’ cheek.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly, putting the laptop aside and standing up. “I just don’t want to risk you getting hurt.”

“You know, I _am_ quite a capable fighter,” Rufus pointed out. He finished off his coffee, tipping his head back, and Tseng watched the muscles of his throat shifting as he swallowed. Having Rufus all to himself, with no phone calls to interrupt them, no having to hide what they were to each other, was what he’d been dreaming of. Perhaps he should relax a little and just try to enjoy their time together. 

“Oh!” Rufus exclaimed as Tseng stepped into his space, kissing his neck and wrapping his arms around him. “I accept your apology.” 

Tseng chuckled softly, kissing Rufus’ neck again.

There had been a light snowfall overnight, but the ice on the frozen lake had been swept clean as soon as the sun rose. A couple of dozen people were out on the lake, and laughter rang out in the valley. Tseng, always alert for potential danger to Rufus, cast his eye over the crowd, but before he could make a threat assessment, Rufus took his hand and dragged him towards the small stall on the lake shore renting out skates. He was almost like a little boy, his cheeks flushed with excitement, an uncharacteristic smile on his face, and Tseng felt a pang in his heart at the thought of Rufus’ unhappy and lonely childhood.

“Have you skated before?” Tseng asked as they laced up their boots and clambered awkwardly to their feet. Rufus grabbed Tseng’s arm to steady himself, almost knocking them both over as they made their slow way towards the ice.

“Once or twice,” Rufus said evasively. “There’s a sim for it, you know.”

Tseng raised an eyebrow. He’d had training in it, of course. Not that it had come in useful yet, but he had spent many an hour in the rink in Sector 2 practicing until he could stay on his feet without difficulty. Rufus, on the other hand, was wobbling all over the place, his arms out to each side to balance himself.

“This is easy!” Rufus proclaimed, mere seconds before his arms windmilled frantically. Tseng skated up behind him and steadied him, earning himself a warm smile from Rufus. 

“Perhaps you should take my hand,” Tseng suggested, reaching out and sliding his gloved hand into Rufus’. 

It wasn’t easy. Rufus’s balance was off, his stance was terrible, and he was a danger to everyone else on the ice, especially Tseng. Eventually Tseng gave up trying to teach him the basics and just wrapped his arms around him, relying on his own steadiness to counteract Rufus’ flailing. He tried to stay aware of the people around them as well, noticing many who he’d run background checks on already. There were a few he hadn’t gotten around to yet, and he eyed them suspiciously. That man over there could be planning something on his phone. The young couple off to their left had eyes for no one but each other, and probably weren’t a threat. The woman over there—

Rufus reached up and took hold of his face, forcing Tseng to look at him. “A break, remember?”

“Sorry,” Tseng murmured. “It’s hard not to.”

“I know. Try, for me.” Rufus patted his cheek, and Tseng nodded.

“I will.”

“This really is very nice,” Rufus said as they moved further away from the crowd. He clutched the back of Tseng’s coat as they made their slow way across the ice, letting Tseng guide him. Slowly the noise of the crowd faded into the background until all they could hear was the scrape of blade on ice and the soft sounds of their breathing.

Tseng tilted his head up a fraction, his mouth hovering barely an inch from Rufus’. They didn’t _do_ public displays of affection; it was too dangerous to risk even a slight touch of hands. Even having Rufus this close as they skated together made Tseng nervous, as if someone from the Daily Buzz was going to leap out from behind a bush with a camera and expose their relationship. But here, in the silence, out on an icy lake with the afternoon sun bright in Rufus’ hair and his pale cheeks rosy with the cold and exertion, he couldn’t resist taking just a little bit more.

Rufus’ lips were cold against Tseng’s, slightly chapped from the wind, but as they leaned in together, Tseng opened his mouth just a little, enough to dart his tongue out and coax Rufus’ mouth open. His mouth was warm, soft, tasting of the pastries and coffee he’d had for lunch, and Tseng waited for only a heartbeat before sliding a hand around the back of Rufus’ neck and deepening the kiss.

Movement stopped, both of them coming to a halt on the ice. All Tseng could hear was the faint whistle of the wind and the soft sounds of Rufus’ mouth against his. Quiet whimpers escaped them both, hushed sighs as their tongues tangled together, and a bone-deep warmth penetrated Tseng’s body as he pulled Rufus closer.

“Tseng,” Rufus breathed, pulling away slightly, a strand of saliva stretching and breaking between them. He reached up and swiped it away with his finger and leaned his forehead against Tseng’s, his breath rapid and hot on Tseng’s mouth.

“I’m not done,” Tseng growled, cupping the back of Rufus’ head and pulling him in again. The kiss became messy, desperate, and Tseng slipped a leg between Rufus’ thighs as Rufus moaned into his mouth, the sound dragging up from his chest and sending a jolt of arousal through Tseng.

“Going to fuck me on the ice?” Rufus panted between kisses, his hands sliding down Tseng’s back to grope his ass. He grunted in irritation at being met by the length of Tseng’s thick coat, and slipped his hand up underneath to give him a squeeze.

“Tempting,” Tseng replied, moving his mouth down Rufus’ jaw, kissing the angular line of bone before shifting to his neck. He was tempted to give him a love bite, a bruise that would take days to fade, but instead he licked his way up to Rufus’ ear and kissed the sensitive skin below it.

“Ah, fuck,” Rufus cursed, his hips bucking against Tseng’s thigh between his legs. Tseng could almost feel him through the thick fabric of their pants, the swell of his arousal, and he was about to reach down to touch him when all of a sudden, one of Rufus’ legs went out from under him.

There was a desperate flailing, a tangle of limbs, windmilling arms, and despite Tseng’s best efforts, Rufus went down on the ice. Tseng went with him, landing on top of him, and the _thud_ as Rufus’ ass hit the ice with the full force of two full-grown men was audible. Tseng was surprised he didn’t hear the ice crack.

“Alright, look,” Rufus panted, “if you wanted to get me horizontal, you could have waited until we were back in the hotel.”

“Are you okay?” Tseng shifted to his knees and got to his feet, extending a hand down to help Rufus up.

“My ass is going to be one giant bruise,” Rufus grumbled, taking Tseng’s hand and letting him tug him upright. He wavered as he got his weight under him, wincing at the pain in his rear end. “Wow. That’s… wow.”

“Is it bad?” Tseng asked, frowning. Rufus was hunched over a little, clinging to the lapels of Tseng’s coat. 

“Let’s get back, shall we?” Rufus replied through clenched teeth, shifting his weight. 

The return journey to the shore was a lot slower, owing to Rufus’ bruised behind. Thankfully, there were no more spills on the way back, and they finally reached the relative safety of the lake shore and stepped off the ice. 

On their way back to the skate rental stall, Rufus suddenly stopped and grabbed Tseng’s hand.

“What?” Tseng asked.

Rufus closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I don’t think I can sit down to unlace my boots,” he confessed.

“That bad?” Tseng did his best to sound sympathetic, but he would be lying to himself if he said he didn’t find the situation a little humorous.

Rufus scowled. “I don’t have a choice, do I?” He sighed and trudged onward, his steps clumsy. Tseng followed behind him, hiding a smile behind his hand. 

In the end, Rufus did manage to take off his skates, but Tseng had to help—once ensconced on a chair, Rufus was reluctant to shift his weight too much, and Tseng had to unlace his boots and pry the tight skates off his feet, then put his regular boots back on. Rufus grumbled and complained all the way back to their room, where he once again got Tseng to help him with his boots.

“Don’t laugh,” Rufus warned, pointing a finger at Tseng as he pulled his sweater off and tossed it on the floor. 

“I’m not laughing.” Tseng picked the sweater up, ignoring Rufus’ eye roll and folding it up to put it back in a drawer. Rufus grunted uncomfortably as he removed the rest of his clothes, eventually turning his back to Tseng.

“Well?”

It was, without a doubt, one of the more impressive bruises Tseng had ever seen, even in its early stages. A large deep red and purple mark covered both cheeks of Rufus’ ass, and Tseng cringed at how painful it must be.

“Let me get my healing materia,” Tseng said, crossing to the bathroom and grabbing his materia bag. Rufus let out a sigh of relief as the green glow of cure washed over him, and when Tseng was done, the bruise was somewhat reduced. It was a pity he hadn’t had it while they were out; it was most effective when used immediately, and it had been a good hour since Rufus’ fall.

“Slightly better,” Rufus said with a sigh. He pitched forward onto the bed, face down on the blankets, and groaned. “I had plans for tonight, you know.”

“Hmm?” Tseng shrugged his coat off and went to hang it in the wardrobe before stripping naked and joining Rufus on the bed. It was late in the day, late enough that they could order an early dinner and spend the evening relaxing. 

Rufus turned his head and gave Tseng a baleful glare. “I wanted you to fuck me. But I don’t think my ass is up to it.”

“Pity.” Tseng ran a hand over Rufus’ ass, his touch light and gentle, and even that was enough to make Rufus flinch. “Shall I ice it for you?”

“...yes.” Rufus’ voice was muffled as he turned his face back into the pillow, and his entire body heaved with a great sigh. Tseng smiled but stifled a chuckle, and got out his ice materia, pulling his gloves back on to protect his palms from the cold. Rufus sighed again as Tseng cast a low level ice spell, placing his hands over the purple bruise. 

Rufus flinched, letting out a pained groan, but as Tseng kept his hands there, channeling the ice spell, Rufus relaxed into the bed, letting out a soft sigh.

“Alright?” Tseng asked. 

“Mmm. Cold.” But Rufus didn’t flinch away, and Tseng kept the ice spell going for a few more minutes. He finally put the materia down, stripped his gloves off, and went to warm his hands up under the hot water before returning to the bed and lying down next to Rufus.

“Better?” Tseng ran a hand over Rufus’ ass again, and Rufus hummed in contentment. 

“Thanks.” He turned his head to face Tseng, a half-smile creasing his cheeks and contentment in his eyes. “Still cold, though. You could warm me up.” He raised an eyebrow and smirked.

“Hmm. I do have an idea for that.” Tseng shifted onto one elbow and leaned down to kiss Rufus before shifting down the bed until he was face to face with Rufus’ ass. He kissed the smooth skin, cold from the ice, and gently cupped both cheeks with his hands, warmth leaching out of him and into Rufus.

“That’s nice,” Rufus breathed, and let out a gasp of surprise when Tseng parted his cheeks and ran his tongue down between them.

It didn’t take long before Rufus was moaning loudly and thrusting his hips into the bed as Tseng slid his tongue over his entrance, circling the tight muscle, caressing the sensitive skin of his taint. He slipped a finger inside, then another, and Rufus let out a sharp cry, pushing his ass back against Tseng’s mouth. 

“Can you come like this?” Tseng pulled away to ask, kissing a line up to Rufus’ lower back as he kept thrusting in with his fingers. He was getting seriously turned on himself, his cock hard and starting to ache as he worked Rufus over. Seeing his lover like this—carefree, desperate, longing—never failed to get Tseng going.

“I think—keep going, _fuck._ I think—I think so. Ah, fuck!” Rufus almost sobbed with need, his hips thrusting hard as he rubbed his cock against the bed, and Tseng moaned, pressing his face into Rufus’ ass as he licked him and fucked him harder. He curled his fingers, hoping to find the right angle to hit Rufus’ prostate, and knew he’d struck gold when Rufus’ back arched and he cried out Tseng’s name.

That was it for Rufus; a few more thrusts and he was coming, stuttering moans bursting from his chest, his ass tightening around Tseng’s fingers.

“Fuck me, that was good,” Rufus panted, relaxing into the mattress, looking over his shoulder at Tseng with a languid smile on his face.

“I’m glad,” Tseng replied, kissing Rufus’ ass cheeks again, one on each side, before shifting back up the bed to curl up next to him.

“Do you want—” Rufus ran a hand down Tseng’s side and encircled his cock.

“Mmm. Not yet.” His arousal was a steady burn within him, but he could wait. He took hold of Rufus’ hand and kissed his fingertips.

  
  
The snowfall during the night was heavy, almost blizzard conditions, and they woke in the morning to the last of it blowing through. Rufus stood at the window next to their bed, stark naked as he peered outside, and Tseng came to join him, standing behind him and pressing himself against Rufus’ warm body. His bruises had faded significantly since his fall on the ice several days previously, and he was no longer wincing when he had to sit down.

“I was hoping we could go skiing again today. Or hiking.” Rufus sounded irritated, and Tseng kissed the back of his neck. Instead of the clear view across the fields to the snowy peaks they’d climbed yesterday to ski down, today they could barely see further than the edge of the balcony, the rest of the view enshrouded in a blizzard. 

“Hmm.” Tseng kissed Rufus’ neck again, sliding his hands down his body to encircle his waist. “I can think of other things we can do.”

Rufus turned in his grasp, putting his arms over Tseng’s shoulders and nuzzling his nose. “Do tell,” he purred.

“Well,” Tseng teased, “I brought several books with me to read. I packed some for you, too. Perhaps we could catch up on—” He didn’t get to finish his sentence as Rufus pushed him firmly backwards, and he fell back onto the bed, followed immediately by a very amorous Rufus. 

“Naughty, naughty,” Rufus chided, his voice low, and Tseng moaned softly, wrapping his legs around Rufus’s thighs and pulling him close. They kissed, hard and messy, as their hips slid together, both of them almost fully hard by now. 

“Whatever will I do with you?” Tseng mused as they broke off from the kiss to take a breath. Rufus raised an eyebrow.

“I know you packed all our toys,” he said. “I think you should use one on me.”

Tseng hummed thoughtfully, reaching down to grip Rufus’ ass in both hands. “But what if I want to fuck you?”

“You can.” Rufus leaned close and bit Tseng’s earlobe. “I want you to fuck me, and come in me, and then fuck me with one of my toys until I’m begging you to let me come.” The words were whispered out, each one sending a jolt of arousal through Tseng’s body. “Do you think you can manage that?”

Tseng nodded, unable to speak, his heart hammering in his chest. 

“Good.” Rufus sat back on his heels and glanced around the room. “Where did you put the lube?”

A few minutes later Tseng found himself kneeling behind Rufus, three fingers in his gorgeous ass as Rufus clutched the pillow and moaned loudly. Tseng almost shushed him, then remembered where they were—there was no chance of anyone hearing them here, and even if they did, no one knew who they were. Rufus could be as loud as he pleased. 

Tseng smiled. He loved listening to Rufus in the throes of passion, loved his gasps and his cries, loved how vocal he was about enjoying himself. Tseng was getting better at it; he’d always stifled any kind of noise, not wanting to seem to lose control, but with Rufus he’d slowly been learning to let go.

It was worth it for how desperate Rufus became when Tseng was noisy.

He slid his free hand over the curve of Rufus’ ass, caressing the smooth, soft skin as he twisted and thrust his fingers inside him, drawing whimpers and moans from Rufus’ throat. 

“Ready?” Tseng murmured. He was painfully hard, his cock straining and leaking just from touching Rufus and seeing him so worked up. Rufus nodded frantically, and Tseng bit his lip as he slowly sunk into his lover.

“Oh,” Tseng sighed as his hips met Rufus’ ass. He took a moment, his hands gentle around Rufus’ waist, his thumbs tracing circles on his lower back. Rufus was panting, his chest heaving, moaning softly with each breath.

“Tseng, please,” Rufus begged, shifting his hips back. Tseng groaned and started thrusting his hips, waves of pleasure coiling through his body at the tight heat surrounding his cock. Rufus liked it hard, liked it when Tseng was a bit rough with him, and Tseng was happy to oblige. The sounds of them fucking echoed through the room, the slapping of skin, the grunts, the moans, and Tseng was dizzy, desperate, holding tight to Rufus as he snapped his hips back and forth. 

“Close,” he panted, his balls tight, waves of pleasure rolling through him. Rufus tightened his muscles around him, moving with him, and Tseng let out a loud gasp as he came.

“Ah, fuck,” Rufus cursed as Tseng pulled out, and rolled onto his back, his legs spread. His cock was red and flushed, and Tseng wanted it in his mouth. 

“Which one?” he asked, leaning over on shaking knees to open the bedside drawer.

“The red one,” Rufus said, languidly stroking himself as Tseng found the toy in question: a large, curved dildo with raised bumps all the way up the shaft. He lay down next to Rufus, leaning over to kiss him as he teased his ass with the head of the dildo. 

“ _Tseng,”_ Rufus growled, grabbing Tseng’s hand and forcing the dildo into him. Tseng chuckled softly, allowing it, and slowly, carefully slid the toy all the way in. Rufus’ back arched, his mouth falling open. “Gods, that’s good,” he huffed, his hands clenched tight on the sheets.

Tseng smiled and leaned down, sliding his mouth over the head of Rufus’ cock. Rufus let out a cry, his hips pushing forward into Tseng’s mouth, then back onto the toy. It took a moment, but Tseng managed to get a good rhythm going, fucking Rufus with the dildo as he swallowed his cock. Rufus’ hands were tight in his hair, tugging it almost painfully, and the scrape of his fingernails against Tseng’s scalp made him hum with pleasure.

He loved watching Rufus fall apart like this, loved the way he took his pleasure with abandon. It wasn’t going to take long; Rufus was already so keyed up from Tseng fucking him, and it was barely a minute before the crescendo of his gasps told Tseng he was about to come. He pushed the toy in hard, twisting it a little, and took Rufus’ cock in as far as he could, grunting as he felt the first spurts of come hit the back of his throat as Rufus’ hands grasped at his hair.

“Fuck, that was amazing,” Rufus moaned as the tension left his body and he relaxed into the bed. Tseng let his cock slide out of his mouth and shifted up the bed to kiss him, gently removing the dildo and tossing it aside to clean later. Rufus hummed contentedly, stroking Tseng’s face as their tongues tangled lazily together. 

Eventually they managed to get out of bed, and an hour later Rufus was demolishing a croissant while Tseng sipped his strong coffee, looking out the window at the clearing weather. “We may be able to go out after all,” he said, peering through the glass. The blizzard had blown over while they were busy, leaving a bright blue sky and glaring sunlight reflecting off the fresh snow.

“Excellent,” Rufus said. “Much as I love being cooped up inside with you, I was hoping to actually get out there and do something today.”

“A short hike, maybe?” Tseng picked up a map of all the hiking trails the concierge had given him, taking it over to the breakfast table to peruse with Rufus.

“You just want to see me out of my suit again,” Rufus said.

“Always.” Tseng sipped his coffee, giving Rufus a deadpan look. He’d enjoyed seeing Rufus in more casual clothing when they were out and about, used to only seeing him in either bespoke suits or expensive silken pyjamas.

Back in his thick white sweater, navy slacks, and with the addition of a pair of heavy hiking boots, Tseng was smitten by Rufus all over again. Tseng donned his black coat and boots, and Rufus rolled his eyes at the monotone colours.

“You’re gorgeous,” he said, stroking Tseng’s cheek and then caressing his hair, tied up in a high ponytail to keep it out of the way. “But one day I’m going to get you into something which isn’t just black.”

The trail they were following was fairly gentle, projected to take them no more than two hours in a loop around the closest forests and up over a nearby peak. There was a fair bit of snow underfoot thanks to the blizzard earlier, but it was late enough in the day by the time they made it out of the Inn that several other parties had already been through, breaking a trail.

The air was crisp, sharp, and a wickedly cold wind blew through the trees, ruffling Rufus’ hair until he reluctantly pulled a woollen hat out of the backpack Tseng had made him carry. Tseng hid a smile and took a quick photo on his phone of Rufus glaring at him, looking downright adorable in his woolly blue hat with a pompom on top. Despite the difficult terrain and the freezing conditions, they made good time and were at the top of a small peak by mid afternoon, giving them a view over the basin where the Icicle Inn was. There were a few other hikers at the summit, but they moved on not long after the pair arrived, leaving them alone with the view.

Tseng looked at Rufus with a smile, admiring his lover in the bright sunlight reflecting off the snow. Rufus’ cheeks were flushed from the cold and the exertion, but he looked so happy Tseng couldn’t resist getting his phone out to take another photo. Rufus took his sunglasses off and posed extravagantly like a mountain climber, one foot up on a rock as he looked pensively out into the distance, and Tseng laughed, taking a few more pictures. Rufus rarely looked so carefree, and Tseng wanted to kiss him right there but was oddly reluctant to interrupt him.

In the end, he didn’t have to make that decision; Rufus came over to him and put cold hands on his face, tugging him in for a kiss. His lips were cold but his tongue was warm, slick and sliding into Tseng’s mouth as they kissed on top of a mountain.

“Aren’t you cold?” Rufus asked, breaking away and touching Tseng’s head with a frown. “It’s _freezing_ up here.”

“I’m fine,” Tseng murmured, tugging Rufus back towards him. Just being near Rufus was enough to keep him warm, and the kisses were definitely helping. He leaned in again but Rufus frowned, pressing a finger to his lips.

“Tseng,” he said firmly. “My nose is about to freeze off _,_ and you aren’t wearing a hat. I know you brought one.”

“I said I’m fine,” Tseng insisted. He didn’t want to wear a hat; it was an uncharacteristic streak of vanity. He looked _ridiculous_ in hats. He’d rather be cold.

Rufus didn’t seem to believe him, but allowed Tseng to kiss him again before they moved on.

  
  
Tseng couldn’t remember ever having had so much time alone with Rufus. Back in Midgar, they were lucky to get a night together without interruption, and as they sat in the hot tub together drinking chilled champagne and eating strawberries shipped over from Kalm, he felt that he would be quite happy never to return.

“Let’s do this again sometime,” Rufus said drowsily, putting his glass down and curling into Tseng’s side. It had been good to get into the tub after returning from their hike, both of them freezing cold and tired. Tseng thought he might fall asleep there, his limbs relaxed and warm, his mind clear of thought. Apparently the Inn was putting on entertainment tonight, with live music and dancing, and Rufus was interested in attending. They still had a couple of hours before they needed to start getting ready, and Tseng had an idea how they could spend it.

He turned to Rufus and tilted his head to kiss him, and Rufus responded immediately, sliding a hand up the back of Tseng’s neck and deepening the kiss. Tseng sighed softly, shifting around until he was straddling Rufus’ thighs, pressing their chests together as they kissed, again and again, warm and soft and indulgent. This—this was all Tseng wanted right now, to be close to his lover, drowsy and relaxed, kissing him over and over until they were both breathless.

“Tseng,” Rufus sighed, wrapping his arms tightly around him. They were both half hard, arousal burning slowly in Tseng’s stomach, but he didn’t feel the need to do anything about it yet. Just this was enough, Rufus’ soft lips, his slick tongue, his talented mouth covering Tseng’s.

Steam rose around them, obscuring the view, and Tseng didn’t notice someone moving inside the suite until it was too late. His first warning that something was amiss was the slight _creak_ as the balcony door opened, and he turned to see a figure dressed all in black.

“Get down!” he shouted, pushing Rufus under the water as he leapt from the hot tub. He didn’t think he’d have a hope in hell of defeating the assailant, who was raising a small pistol and aiming it at Rufus’ shocked face. It was cold outside, Tseng was naked and wet, and he slid across the wooden surface of the balcony, putting his own body between the gun and Rufus. 

The man in black grunted in annoyance, but didn’t lower his weapon as Tseng barrelled towards him. Tseng braced himself for the shot he knew was coming, but his foot slid out from underneath him and he fell, hitting the hard boards of the balcony. By a stroke of luck, he not only missed the bullet that was fired at him, but he was also close enough to the assassin that he was able to swing his leg at the man, tripping him up and bringing him down to the ground.

Tseng was on him immediately, knocking the gun away and wrapping his hands around the man’s throat. He looked vaguely familiar; brown hair, a plain face, no distinguishing features, but Tseng didn’t have time to think about where he’d seen him before. 

“Who sent you!” Tseng barked, and the man laughed. He tightened his grip, eliciting a choking gasp from the man.

“You can’t make me talk, Turk,” the man croaked.

Tseng could _definitely_ make him talk. If he was back at HQ, in one of his interrogation rooms, with his tools at his disposal, Tseng could extract every ounce of information from this man. Here, naked and cold and with water dripping off his body, he felt very much on the back foot. The man squirmed underneath him, and Tseng slammed his head down against the solid boards beneath them before tightening his fingers around his throat, squeezing until the man went limp underneath him. 

Tseng sat back with a scowl. He hadn’t wanted to kill him, he needed to know who he was working for, but he had no doubt he’d find enough identifying features on the man to figure it out.

“Who is he?” Rufus asked, coming up behind him.

“Stay back!” Tseng ordered. “There may be more inside.”

“Tseng—”

“Just do as I say,” Tseng said firmly, glaring up at Rufus. Rufus’ eyes widened and he frowned, backing off. Tseng climbed to his feet and slowly entered the suite, checking every corner for any more intruders. It was empty, and the only sign of intrusion was the broken lock on the door. Tseng glanced around, evaluating his priorities. First: secure the room. The door was set in an alcove with a wall immediately opposite, and Tseng pushed a heavy table in front of it. No one could get through the door now; he’d deal with the lock later.

Rufus. Tseng turned and saw Rufus standing in the middle of the room, arms crossed, a deep frown on his face.

“Are you alright?” Tseng asked.

“I’m fine,” Rufus said. “And you?”

“Fine.” He suddenly realised they were both still naked and damp, and he went into the bathroom to retrieve fluffy robes for each of them. When he returned to the lounge, he saw Rufus out on the balcony, crouching over the dead man.

“Did you have to kill him?” Rufus sounded immensely irritated. “He could have told us who he was working for.”

“Shall I leave you to leap out of the hot tub and wrestle a man to the ground while wet and naked next time?” Tseng snapped, tossing one of the robes at Rufus before putting his own on. He was on edge, adrenaline still coursing through him, and he crouched down next to Rufus to examine the body.

“He was on the trail today,” Rufus noted. “I remember him going past us while we were at the peak. And I’ve seen him around the hotel a couple of times.”

“Hmm. I vaguely recall him, yes.” Tseng frowned; he clearly hadn’t been paying much attention to the passersby. He had been too enamoured with Rufus, strands of silvery blond hair under his hat fluttering in the wind, his face flushed, sporting a wide smile in the bright sunlight. Tseng felt a stone drop into his stomach: he hadn’t been paying attention. If he had, perhaps he would have noticed this man acting suspiciously; he would have noticed the man recognising Rufus.

Rufus could have died from his inattention.

“I can’t leave it behind, can I?” Rufus said quietly.

“Rufus—”

“Never mind.” Rufus got to his feet and strode to the bedroom, the door slamming shut behind him.

Tseng closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Rufus’ anger was understandable; Tseng was paid to protect Rufus, and part of that was by foiling attacks before they happened. There had been many over the years; Rufus knew of perhaps half. It was rare that an assassin got close enough to Rufus to pose an immediate risk, thanks to Tseng’s skills in that regard. This time, he’d failed.

He sighed, turning away from the firmly closed bedroom door. It was time to find out who the man was. Tseng got his phone out and called Reno.

  
  
The bedroom door was still closed, and Tseng knocked tentatively. 

"Come in." Rufus sounded less angry; more tired. Tseng opened the door and found Rufus sitting up in bed, still wearing the bathrobe, one of Tseng's books in his hands. "Well?"

Tseng sat on the edge of the bed. "He wasn't affiliated with any terrorist cells." He looked down at his hands. "His name was Gared Lym, and he lost his job with Shinra a few years ago."

Rufus snorted. "A disgruntled ex employee. And he decided to kill me because he had a snit with Shinra?" 

Tseng rubbed his face. "His wife was sick. He missed a day of work and got sacked; without a job, he couldn't afford medicine for her and she died."

A sigh. "That has _nothing_ to do with me. I can sympathise, I suppose, but that doesn't excuse him trying to kill me."

"Of course it doesn't. He was acting alone, though. Reno seemed quite sure of that. An opportunistic attempt on your life."

"Well, that's a relief. I'd hate to have to spend the rest of our holiday looking over my shoulder all the time." Rufus snapped the book closed. “Fucking terrorists, we should have known something like this would happen.”

Tseng felt it like a blow: he should have known something like this would happen, he should have been more observant. He stood, taking a step back from the bed. “I’m sorry, Sir,” he said, retreating back into the bodyguard persona. It made it easier, sometimes, to deal with Rufus’ moods.

Rufus stared at him. _“Sir?”_ He tossed the book aside, frowning. “Tseng, what the fuck?”

“I—I’m sorry,” he repeated. “I failed to see the threat, and your life was put in danger. It won’t happen again.” He wished he was wearing his suit, his armour. He felt vulnerable in just a fluffy white bathrobe, felt like he was on the back foot. Rufus swung his legs over the side of the bed and approached him, his forehead creased and the corners of his mouth turned down. Tseng braced himself for a rebuke.

“Tseng.” Rufus reached up and cupped Tseng’s head, his thumbs stroking gently over his cheeks. “Why are you acting like I’m about to shout at you?”

Tseng blinked. “I failed you.”

“Failed—you failed me? You _saved_ me.”

Tseng stared at him. “Then why…” He stopped, took a breath, and glanced away.

“Ah.” Rufus caressed Tseng’s neck, sliding his hands under the collar of the robe. “My apologies. I was angry with myself, and I took it out on you.” He gently lifted Tseng’s chin, forcing him to look into his blue eyes. His frown had faded, his eyes now filled with sadness. “I felt like my very presence here had ruined our holiday. I thought you were angry with me for it, particularly since I’d told you to leave your work behind.” He sighed. “If I’d just let you do your job, this may not have happened.”

Tseng closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against Rufus’. “You’re an idiot,” he said softly, a soft laugh bubbling out of him. They were both idiots.

  
  
They decided to eschew the entertainment being held in the Inn that night, instead calling the manager to request someone to come and repair the lock and discreetly remove the body. The manager’s eyes widened upon seeing the broken lock and the body on the balcony, but he nodded and made some quiet phone calls. 

Not even an hour later, they were once again secure inside their suite, a light meal spread out on the coffee table and mugs of mulled wine in their hands as they curled up together on the couch beside the fire.

“This is more like it,” Rufus said drowsily, putting his mug aside and leaning into Tseng. 

“May I make a suggestion?” Tseng asked carefully. Rufus’ hand was in his hair, combing through the loose strands, and it was so relaxing he thought he may fall asleep soon.

“Hmm.” Rufus kissed his cheek, his lips warm and firm, and Tseng resisted turning his head to meet Rufus’ mouth.

“You allow me to be your bodyguard when I feel the need,” Tseng said.

Rufus sighed. “I suppose there’s no helping it,” he admitted. “I just wish—I wish this holiday could be as relaxing for you as it is for me.”

Tseng chuckled, and twisted around to meet Rufus’ kiss. “Knowing that you are safe is the only way I’ll relax.”

“I have an idea for tomorrow, then,” Rufus said between kisses. “I was thinking—Tseng, stop a moment—we could—Tseng, _please.”_

Tseng smiled, refusing to let up. Rufus was almost in his lap, a warm and heavy weight, and his hand was tight in Tseng’s hair as they shared increasingly desperate kisses. He deftly untied the belt of Rufus’ robe, sliding his hand inside to caress his naked body, and all words were forgotten.

  
  
Rufus’ eventual suggestion of hiring a car and driving around to the other side of the mountains was very appealing—an entire day with just the two of them and much less chance of anything bad happening. The drive would take them a couple of hours; it was a difficult road, full of hairpin bends and precipitous drops into valleys miles below. Tseng needed to keep all his attention on the road, so once they were well on their way and Rufus was looking relaxed, Tseng reached over the centre console and slid a hand up Rufus’ thigh.

“Eyes on the road,” Rufus murmured, shifting in his seat and spreading his legs further. Tseng hid a smile, his right hand steady on the wheel and his eyes fixed on the road ahead as he deftly pushed Rufus’ coat aside and kneaded his cock through his pants. Rufus let out a sigh of pleasure as he stiffened up under Tseng’s hand.

“This is much more dangerous than me blowing you in the chopper,” Rufus said.

“Quiet, I’m concentrating,” Tseng replied as he flicked open the button and zipper, slipping his hand inside. Rufus groaned softly, bucking his hips up into Tseng’s hand, his cock almost fully hard, the heat bleeding through his underwear and Tseng’s glove.

Tseng carefully navigated the car around a tight hairpin bend, the chains on the wheels crunching in the light snow covering the road. “Get your cock out,” he said, briefly moving both hands to the wheel to align the car. Rufus scrambled to get his underwear down, and Tseng risked a glance to the left, a pulse of arousal beating through him at the sight of Rufus, leaning back, legs spread, his pants open and his cock exposed. He was completely hard now, the skin tight and flushed over the head, and Tseng lifted his hand to his mouth, yanking his glove off with his teeth before reaching back to Rufus.

“Gods, that feels good!” Rufus said, his voice strained and desperate as Tseng wrapped a hand around him.

“Mmm. Oh, excuse me.” Tseng let him go and Rufus groaned as Tseng took them around another hairpin bend. They were quite high up now, almost in the clouds, and the snowfall outside was starting to get heavier. From what Tseng could see, the next stretch of road was fairly straight, and he once again put his hand around Rufus’ cock, stroking him firmly. It was starting to get very distracting, having Rufus moaning and carrying on next to him, and he sped up his strokes.

The car skidded, the wheels hitting a patch of ice, and Tseng slammed the brakes on, both hands back on the wheel in an instant. They came to a stop in the middle of the road, and Tseng glanced at Rufus.

Rufus raised an eyebrow and looked pointedly down at his lap.

“I think, perhaps, this is a bad idea,” Tseng said slowly, his heart rate starting to return to normal as he clutched the wheel tightly.

“Oh, come on,” Rufus whined, but Tseng ignored him, starting the car up again. “Don’t leave me hanging like this!”

“You have hands,” Tseng pointed out.

“Not the same.” Rufus sighed loudly and, with a great deal of effort, stuffed his still-hard cock back into his underwear and zipped his pants back up. Tseng hid a smile; he already had plans to help Rufus finish off when they arrived at their destination, but there was no need to tell him that yet.

The road wound around cliff tops with ocean miles below, and Tseng pulled the car over at a promising view point out to the west. It was even colder here than it had been during their hike, and Tseng reluctantly pulled a woollen hat down over his hair before getting out of the car to take a look. Rufus joined him, shivering despite his heavy coat and scarf, and they looked out over the ocean—mako-tinged grey-blue, reflecting the cloud cover that still drizzled down fat flakes of snow.

Rufus’ hand snaked into Tseng’s as they stood side by side in the silence, the only sound the quiet whisper of the wind in the sparse trees. Far on the horizon, Tseng imagined he could see the low smudge of Wutai’s northern tip, but it was likely just cloud cover.

“It’s something,” Rufus said, his voice hushed as the wind whistled around them. Snowflakes were falling on his shoulders, and Tseng turned to him, sliding a hand around the back of his neck to drag him in for a kiss. He pulled back a few seconds later, smiling at Rufus, before smoothly falling to his knees in front of him.

Rufus let out a choked moan as Tseng flicked the top button of his pants open, his hands automatically taking hold of Tseng’s head. On the edge of the cliff, with nothing between them and a fall to the the frigid ocean aside from a few yards of scrappy bushes and rock, Tseng took Rufus into his mouth, swallowing him down until Rufus was gasping in the icy air, his gloved fingers stroking Tseng’s cheeks as he reached the climax he’d been denied earlier.

By the time Tseng had buttoned Rufus up again and stood up, swiping a stray droplet of come from his lips, Rufus was smiling widely, his breath making clouds of mist in the air as he recovered, and he leaned in to give Tseng a scorching kiss.

“Shall I?” he asked, reaching down between them to cup Tseng’s groin. He was already aroused from having Rufus in his mouth, and Tseng nodded, leaning back against the car as Rufus returned the favour.

By the time they arrived at the summit, the snow had cleared to only a few flakes falling from the steely grey sky. From the viewpoint, they were able to see all the way down to the glacier and towards the far-off northern crater, shrouded in clouds. It was a vista of blues, greys, and sharp, blinding whites, and Tseng shielded his eyes as he looked northwards.

“We should have come up here in the chopper,” Rufus observed, muffled behind a thick scarf which came up to just underneath his eyes. His hat was crammed down tightly on his head, his hands shoved in his pockets against the freezing wind, and Tseng moved closer to him, sharing a shred of warmth between them to cut out some of the wind chill.

“It’d be very windy,” Tseng pointed out. “Would you be up for it?”

Rufus turned to glare and saw the corners of Tseng’s eyes crinkled up in a smile, and he let out a short laugh. “Maybe not. I didn’t much enjoy our trip earlier this week.”

Tseng laughed softly and leaned his head on Rufus’ shoulder as they gazed out over the stark vista below them. The sun had passed its zenith, and bright rays pierced the scattering clouds, shining bright on the snowfields.

  
  
“It’s our last day here tomorrow,” Rufus said, languidly picking grapes from a bunch and feeding them to Tseng one at a time. One slipped out of his fingers, splashing into the water between them, and Tseng watched it bob around in the waves created by the water jets below the surface of the hot tub. He was enjoying those jets on his back, massaging the tired muscles from hours spent driving up a mountain in the snow. Perhaps later he’d ask Rufus to give him a massage; Rufus was very good with his hands, and was an expert at finding the tense muscles in Tseng’s shoulders.

It was how they’d first ended up kissing: Tseng was working late one evening and was surprised by a visit from Rufus, who immediately noticed how tense and stiff Tseng was from hours spent at his desk.

They’d been stepping around each other for some months by then, and Tseng tried not to react too strongly when Rufus stood behind him, lifting his hair out of the way and digging his thumbs into the back of his neck through the thin fabric of his shirt.

Tseng hadn’t been able to control the desperate groan that tore itself free from his throat, and Rufus froze for a moment before gently tilting Tseng’s head back and kissing him.

They hadn’t looked back, and now, in the warmth of the hot tub, the shifting blues and purples and mako-green lights of the aurora shimmering in a curtain above them, Tseng cupped the back of Rufus’ head and drew him in for a deep, lingering kiss.

He didn’t want to leave this place, didn’t want to go back to the reality of Midgar with its meetings, its intrigues, its scandals. He didn’t want to go back to being the leader of the Turks, the VP’s bodyguard, tasked with performing all manner of unpleasant tasks in the name of Shinra and to keep Rufus safe.

Perhaps they could simply escape from it all. Climb into the helicopter the day after tomorrow and go … anywhere. 

It was a foolish dream, and Tseng pushed it aside, concentrating on the warm weight of Rufus as he slid onto Tseng’s lap, his slim legs tight around Tseng’s waist, his heated breath and soft gasps as they kissed under the lights of the aurora.

Rufus’ hand slid between them and Tseng hummed in pleasure as he slid his hands up Rufus’ back, caressing him as Rufus started jerking them off together, slow and languid under the water. 

It didn’t take long; their kisses became frantic, desperate, open-mouthed and messy as their hips thrust together, and the water splashed over the edge of the tub as Tseng’s head fell back and he came into Rufus’ hand. Rufus was right there with him, stuttering moans buried in Tseng’s neck, and for a long minute they stayed like that, catching their breath, bodies so intertwined it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began.

“Let’s not go back,” Rufus whispered, and Tseng nodded.

  
  
Tseng had had some ideas about how to spend their last day—skiing, hiking, perhaps another attempt at ice skating—but in the end, they spent the entire day in their suite, with only each other’s company. Rufus was clingy, not wanting to let Tseng out of his sight for more time than it took for him to use the bathroom, and as the day progressed, his mood became more and more subdued.

By the evening, he was sullenly curled up on the couch, his head in Tseng’s lap, as Tseng read one of the books he’d brought. It was a thriller, something he’d grabbed from his pile of unread books before leaving, and was distinctly inferior in quality. He’d be donating it as soon as he finished it.

“Tseng,” Rufus said softly. Tseng had one hand on his book, one hand on Rufus, idly playing with the soft hairs at the base of his skull as his lover lay in a half-doze.

“Mmm?”

“We’ll do this again, yes?”

Tseng closed his book. “As soon as I can arrange it.” He put the book aside and leaned down to kiss Rufus’ nose, earning himself a screwed-up face and a chuckle.

Their lovemaking that night was frantic, loud, and Tseng held onto the headboard for dear life as Rufus fucked him with more intensity than he ever had before. As he approached orgasm, Rufus leaned down, bending Tseng almost in half as he took his mouth in a desperate kiss, muffling his cries as he reached his climax. It only took a few more strokes for Rufus to join him, and they collapsed to the bed in a tangle of limbs, both of them sweaty and wrung-out.

Tseng wrapped shaking arms around Rufus, holding him tight.

  
It was a cold, crisp morning, and Tseng looked out at the bright blue sky with a smile. The trip back should be a lot less fraught than their journey here, and he imagined Rufus was feeling some measure of relief. He gazed down the slope back towards the Inn, fixing his memories in his mind to sustain him through the difficult times ahead. He didn’t know when he and Rufus would be able to escape again, but their plans back in Midgar were starting to come to a head. The President wouldn’t be in power for much longer, and once Rufus was ensconced in his rightful position, everything would change.

They needed to only be patient.

**Author's Note:**

> Twitter: sherribon


End file.
